Leadership Appointments: April 24-30, 2025

Florida – Allan Branch has been elected mayor of Panama City. A third-generation entrepreneur and local businessman, Branch owns multiple businesses in historic downtown Panama City and has focused his campaign on progress and forward-thinking. 
California – Yvonne Hsu has been appointed deputy director of Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs at the California Civil Rights Department. Hsu, based in Washington, D.C., previously served as chief of staff of Rural Housing Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and has held leadership roles at the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and on Capitol Hill. 
Maryland – Patrick Fleming has been appointed chief administrative officer for the Baltimore City Department of Transportation. Fleming brings extensive experience in emergency management, transportation and education policy, most recently serving as director of Emergency Preparedness in Frederick County, Maryland. In his new role, he will oversee Human Resources, Communications and Data Management for the department. 
Oklahoma – Jim Hess has been appointed as the 20th president of Oklahoma State University for a three-year term. Hess, who had served as interim president since February, brings 43 years of higher education experience and previously served as vice provost for graduate programs at the OSU Center for Health Sciences. He succeeds Kayse Shrum following her resignation earlier this year. 
Wisconsin – Missy Zombor and Marva Herndon have been elected to leadership roles on the Milwaukee Board of School Directors. Zombor, who was first elected to the Board in 2023, will serve as president, while Herndon, first elected in 2019, will serve as vice president. Zombor works as deputy director of operations and administration for Rethinking Schools, and Herndon, a longtime community advocate and former computer programmer, has been active in public education efforts throughout Wisconsin. 
Iowa – Jacob Meshke has been appointed as the next city manager for the City of Indianola, effective May 28. Meshke currently serves as deputy city manager for Brookings, South Dakota, and previously held the role of assistant village administrator in Bayside, Wisconsin. He brings a strong background in economic development and municipal leadership. 
Delaware – Denise Carter has been appointed deputy secretary for Strategic Initiatives at the Delaware Department of Education. Carter is a veteran government efficiency and innovation leader, most recently overseeing major organizational and technology improvements at the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office. She brings more than 30 years of federal operations leadership experience and is a recipient of the Meritorious Presidential Rank Award. 
New York – Thomas J. Taffe has been named chief of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department. Taffe, who had been serving as acting chief, brings 30 years of law enforcement experience, including leadership roles with the NYPD and MTAPD. A graduate of the FBI National Academy, he will oversee the 1,400-member department tasked with securing the MTA’s operating region. 
California – Suzanne Martindale has been appointed chief deputy commissioner at the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Martindale has served in senior roles within the department since 2021 and is also a lecturer at UC Berkeley School of Law. She previously held leadership positions at Consumer Reports. 
Michigan – Russ Kavalhuna has been appointed the 10th president of Western Michigan University, effective July 1, 2025. A WMU alumnus and current president of Henry Ford College, Kavalhuna brings a background in higher education leadership, law and aviation. He previously served as executive director of flight operations at WMU. 
North Carolina – The Goldsboro City Council has appointed Matthew Livingston as city manager following a unanimous vote. Livingston, who had served as interim city manager since February 2024 and joined the city in 2022 as assistant city manager, brings over 27 years of local government experience. His previous roles include town manager positions in Rolesville, Wallace and Ayden and executive director of the Eastern Carolina Council of Governments.